Goodnight, Sweetheart
by binaryShenanigans
Summary: the draconian delivers some rather bad news during a discussion that will be remembered for centuries. [hurry up, will you? the puppet show is about to start!]


"... Oh, Highest of All Powers, If you will allow me, I would like to word this back to you."

"Do as you will."

Light poured in through many tall windows in this pleasantly cool, midnight-colored room. One couldn't be sure at all, though, with an Astral in their bedroom, what time of day it truly was.

Somnus, who had, rather appropriately, been awoken from a deep slumber, cleared his throat.

"... My dearest brother, Ardyn, he's... Not doing well."

"Oh, I wouldn't say so at all," rumbled the armored Draconian, standing at a height one might describe as... Resembling a human, but designed to be taller than any other.

"Right. Of course." Somnus nearly looked embarrassed by his own understatement of affairs. "He... You say the Starscourge has overtaken him entirely."

"Not that, exactly - the true root of his affliction lies within himself. We failed to predict it when we chose him, we clearly misplaced our faith, but the Healer... His heart was dyed a shade of black that corrupted his entire mission."

Bahamut never seemed to look directly down at Somnus, but rather - tilt his head only as much as he needed to, to keep the man in his sights.

Somnus swallowed, quietly. "... You say, from the start, that he..."

The tone in Bahamut's voice could easily be embellished in future records as thoughtful, scholarly, as he said, "No, I don't believe this darkness has _always_ existed inside him. Over time, it— grew. Blossomed, you might say, like a flower. You might say the Scourge, as he took it inside his very being, was the catalyst for a reaction that must have been destined to take place."

... Somnus was puzzled, and in his grand innocence, he assumed that was his own fault.

Bahamut continued, "It is not always for mortals to understand, the way that a once-pure heart can transform so radically if given but a mite of power. But you are no mere mortal, my boy."

And Somnus fell for it.

"... I'm not?"

Those same words used to ensnare his brother all those years ago.

"You are not," repeated the Draconian, "You are the one who will save this world from the chaos that such a filthy-hearted king would have wrought."

Perhaps these words were ill-chosen, because the look on the newly-Chosen King's face was nothing short of horror.

"My brother is... Filthy?"

He was not offended, but mortified by Bahamut's assessment. _Could such a thing be true?_

But the Draconian knew, he need do little else but beat the conjured truth in until it would be regarded as such in future archives.

Truth in practice, not just in theory.

"The Crystal itself rejected him," said Bahamut, shaking his head in what could be written down as pity in future editions of the Cosmogony. "There is no greater cosmic truth than this. You have seen it for yourself, my boy, this Crystal of great power - it chooses heroes, through the ages, as the need arises. Those worthy of being granted its strength. If it decided, therefore, that your brother was no longer its champion..."

The game of the Astrals.

"It has never done anything but serve you well. Who are we to doubt its judgment?"

The Draconian's gaze was stony, it did not just see right through Somnus' soul - _it made him doubt that he had one in the first place,_ before meeting those night-shrouded eyes.

Stunned, Somnus eventually found his voice again. "I... I see."

It took him another few seconds to ask the question burning in his mind. "... So you will have me take his place, will you?"

"We will have you do so much more than that," Bahamut said, straightening with pride for his new Chosen One, "You will become the greatest King that Eos has ever known - he who banishes the Starscourge, rids your world of the Impure, and sires the mightiest bloodline of Kings to ever live."

Another poorly-worded speech, it seemed - Somnus once again grew pale.

 _"Rid my world of the Impure,"_ he repeated, chin turning down slightly.

"That is correct."

"The Impure. My _brother._ "

"I am afraid there is no other way."

"I cannot simply heal him," Somnus said, voice wavering, "The _greatest King that Eos has ever known_ cannot heal his brother of the Scourge he is to banish."

"If It were possible for any being, divine or mortal, mark my words, it would have already been done. You must understand - there are certain amounts of evil that no amount of light can ever purify. Not in a way that leaves what good there once was intact. Sacrifices must be made for the greater good, Somnus."

"Sacrifi—" Somnus laughed, turning away some, "Sacrifices."

"Somnus, do not be upset..." said Bahamut, voice softening in a way that Somnus did not know was possible. "There is nothing you can do for your brother than show him this mercy - to erase the Starscourge, and, in turn, erase him as well. You cannot imagine how miserable his existence has become."

... Somnus softened as well, tears forming in his eyes.

"And it all had to happen this way? I— Oh Gods, I could have talked to him more. _I could have shown him a better way, I—_ "

"Do not blame yourself, O King," rumbled the Draconian, though this is exactly what he hoped Somnus would do, "There is nothing you could have done. His deeper, truer self - it is not your fault. None of this is."

He kneeled, now truly on Somnus' level, and firmly held the new Founder King by the shoulders. "You are Chosen not because this is your fault, your mess to clean. You are Chosen because you are of noble spirit, you are pure of heart, you are clever, you are kind. You are strong. You are Chosen because you are the greatest hope that mankind has to offer."

And then Somnus began to weep.

 _"I'm not,"_ he whimpered, _"I can't. I can't do this."_

"Yes you can."

 _"It's not right-! I can't—_ _ **My brother-**_ _"_

"Your brother as you knew him is no more."

The look on Somnus' now-sickly face was indescribable, in the vocabulary of any average man. It was as if his heart of glass - did not _shatter,_ no, that would be a pain far too merciful, far too quick. But rather cracked, and slowly fell to pieces.

And his weeping grew into desperate, hysterical sobs as he hid his face in Bahamut's shoulder.

"That's it," Bahamut purred, "Let it all out, my boy."

The Draconian was not famous for his kindness. Somnus knew this. But oh, how warm and loving he was being in this moment, how safe and understood Somnus felt.

 _"I can't bear it,"_ Somnus cried. _"My Ardyn. My dear Ardyn."_

"No one ever can," said the Draconian. "But those as strong as you find a way, for their people."

It took Somnus several minutes to put himself together. The exact number, he wouldn't be able to tell you - five? Ten? Thirty? But once he did, the best he could manage was sniffles, and occasional sobs. This was not the conduct of the _greatest King that Eos has ever known,_ he thought.

He was so ashamed.

Bahamut, of course, knew this, and kept his voice low and calming.

"My boy," he rumbled, "This is only a sign of your strength. This only proves to me that you are truly pure of heart. Even for the Accursed, your heart aches."

Somnus sniffled and lowered his head. All he could bring himself to say, worn down as he was, was this.

"I thank you. Bahamut."

"Nothing of the sort is required," Bahamut said, standing at his former height again, "I should thank you, in fact. I have given you a terrible burden this day, and you have faced it with nothing but courage, but it is a terrible burden nonetheless."

"Yes," said Somnus, nodding, "But... You're right. Every word of it - someone has to stand up and right what has gone wrong."

He looked up at Bahamut again, eyes now hardened, though they still glistened with tears.

"And I am honored to be that man. I will — _I will serve you dutifully._ "

It was cruel, really, what Bahamut said next. Somnus wouldn't understand why until generations later.

Not until the Ring of the Lucii itself fell to dust, having fulfilled a purpose even Somnus' most ruthless nightmares couldn't possibly conjure.

"What you will accomplish," he said, slowly and carefully, "Will be remembered and honored for eternities to come. It will be your actions that will give Eos the kinder, gentler future of which you have always dreamed... _I only hope that you will forgive me._ "

And Somnus, the poor, sweet fool, through his tears, he smiled, finding he was alone in his pitch-black bedroom.


End file.
